cold front...

As the temperature drops in Toronto, I am sure there will be no sympathy for me with this post....

I have been telling anyone and everyone how perfect the weather is Kampala. For the past three months it really has been, but then there was a change at the end of last week. It was brutally humid for a few days, followed my the most incredible thunderstorm I have ever heard (at one point at around 5am the thunder lasted for a full 60 seconds!!), and now it is cold. Now not so cold that I need a coat, but cold enough for me to wear shoes to the office instead of my birks!! I expect that within a few days, hopefully in time for Halloween, the weather will return to perfection.

milestones

This week brings along two milestones:

• I have had my new left ACL for 6 months now (the right one is +8 months old)!! If I was home that would potentially mean return to sport (not rugby....don't worry) but here in Kampala the routine will stay the same - no organized sport, just working out at the Kabira Club
• I have now been in Kampala for 3 months!! It is really incredible how time flies.

This past week was a busy one - Finance Training, many of the RTP country Finance Officers and a team from Toronto came to Kampala. It was great to meet people from all of our different regions. In the training I was able to realize how much I have actually learned since arriving here. We also had a pair of Queen's Exec MBAs that are doing a project on corporate fundraising. I was lucky to get to participate in two field visits with the groups. Every time I go and play with the children and am struck by the power of the games that we use.

I made my first trip to the Friday Market last week - I may have gone a bit overboard on my purchases of necklaces....they will be sent home, along with some other odds and ends for Christmas:) Again - it is amazing how time flies - only 7 weeks until my Southern Africa Adventure!! So much work to be done between now and then.

Fort Portal & Lulu Addiction Discovered

Friday October 9 was Uganda Independence Day – I took advantage of the long weekend and headed to Fort Portal, in Western Uganda, with Alison, Angela and Els for a girls weekend. The 3 – 4 hour drive for Fort Portal was along good roads passing through a number of small towns. We arrived in town in time for a late lunch of possibly the most unique pizza I have ever had. We thing they must have used Chiapati for the base. After another 45 minutes of dirt road driving we arrive at Kitojo Guest House – our home for the weekend. We were the only guests (this seems to be a theme for me). The hotel is a series of self-contained bandas with stunning views of the countryside and Rwenzori Mountains.

Saturday we set out for our hike to find the Crater Lakes. We set out from the hotel with only a vague idea of where to go. We walked through farmland and back roads in search of the lakes. Along the way we would often hear "Mzungu...how are youuuu" from people we could not see working in the fields. We decided to head towards Ndali Lodge (the fancy expensive accomodation) as we could see it on the map and people along the way could give us some direction. When we came across to crater lakes we were able to determine where we were. It was also time for a swim!! We headed down the steep path and into the lake. We ended up with a number of spectators - children gathering water, men hiding in bushes and 2 cows that came running down the path, giving us a bit of a fright! Once refreshed we continued on our way. At Ndali we booked dinner (only 35,000UGX, less than $20 for a 3 course meal) and then started the trek back to our hotel. We had told them we would be ready for lunch at 2pm. We had walked further than we thought and realized that we would not make it back in time. Just before 2 we started to look for bodas and eventually someone sent 2 our way. Angela and Els - boda experts hopped on together and off they went. Alison hopped on behind me and we followed on a bit of an awkward ride - I was sitting on a metal bar and Alison, being a little nervous on her only her second boda was reaching around me to hold onto the driver for security! We made it in one piece back to the hotel for a delicious lunch. The afternoon was spent on another game and then we headed to Ndali. The dinner was quite nice.

Sunday morning we were very lucky to see the snow-covered peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains, usually covered in clouds. After breakfast we took our packed lunches and started the journey back to Kampala. While there was not much traffic on the way as soon as we hit Kampala the gridlock set in. After dropping Els and Angela off, Alison drove me to pick up some groceries and we found Tofu!! I actually found this exciting and ended up making a great veggie stir fry. Slowly but surely my cooking (if stir fry and fried rice are considered cooking) is improving.

It was a great weekend. The girls, who did not know much about lulu lemon, discovered my addiction when I spent most of the weekend decked out entirely in lulu. Funny - it was not planned - I really just own a lot of it....perhaps too much...is that possible?

Click on the post title to see pictures from our Fort Portal adventure.

Sipi Falls

Click the title for pictures of my quick visit to Sipi Falls.

Sironka Photos

Here are some pictures from the training I did (click on the title).

Unfortunately none of me on the back of the boda!!!

TIA

TIA (This is Africa) has become a common comment between some friends and I whenever anything doesn’t go quite right – stores close early, power goes out etc. Last week I truly experienced TIA!!!

I left Kampala on Friday October 2 and headed east towards Kenya. I had two RTP drivers take me to Sironka Town where we met one of the facilitators for the training I was there for. She accompanied us for another 20km down dirt roads to Budadari and the Waggaigai Hotel where I would stay for the week. I was a bit surprised to find out I was not with the rest of the participants – they stayed in Sironka Town. I was the only guest at the hotel.

Robert, the hotel owner, arranged transport for me to get to and from the training…..the transport was a boda (motor bike)!! On Saturday morning I was a bit nervous but ready to make the journey along the dirt roads on the back of a boda. When the driver arrived (about 20 minutes late of course) we set off. He drove quite quickly and when we reached the tarmac road I glanced at the speedometer and realized he was going 90km/h – I panicked a bit and tried to figure out how to get the driver’s attention and have him slow down!! I managed to get him to slow to 60 and was feeling much better – but also realized he did not know where we were supposed to go. He thought he found the school and rode into a middle of a field. We spoke to a school boy that was able to direct us –the next thing I knew I was the meat in the sandwich on the boda – the school boy hopped on behind me and the three of us road to the school. TIA.

The school was what you would imagine a rural school in Africa to be – a number of small buildings, none with power and Latrine style ‘hole in concrete’ toilets. TIA

The training itself was quite interesting. I was one of 18 people participating – we played games and learned about HIV and AIDS. The goal of the training was to educate new RTP Volunteer Coaches on how to use sport and play to educate children about prevention and to deal with the stigma of being infected. I learned that there are many different cultural differences between the way I, from the Western World and the other participants looked at certain issues.

On Monday the students returned to the school – apparently some had never seen a Mzungu up close and I think my presence was a HUGE distraction. I had children peering out of classroom windows to catch a glimpse of me. It was entertaining and amusing at first but by the end of 5 days it was starting to wear a bit thin – Mzungu….how are youuuuu??? TIA

The hotel I stayed at was nice and I was well-taken care of. Most evenings I just watched a movie on my laptop. There was of course some excitement. When the power went out I experienced darkness like I do not recall being in – I was really in the countryside and there was not a light to be seen. I also shared my room with a mouse – TIA.

Highlights of the week – outside of the training were a quick visit to Sipi Falls and finding Coke Zero!!! Of course the fact that my blackberry functioned almost the entire time was also exciting.

Overall it was quite an experienced, which at times pushed me outside of my comfort zone…..but that is what I am here forJ

TIA

From East to West

I have learned that many decisions are made at the last minute in my office. Yesterday morning I was told that today I would head to Sironka (not in tour books but near Mt. Elgon National Park on the Kenya border) to participate in a training on our Live Safe Play Safe resource. This is our program that focuses on HIV and AIDS. While I will inevitably learn a lot and will be able to better understand the programs, I must admit I was a little distressed to cancel weekend plans and a, a bit nervous about the week – the place is not even in my tour book so what will the accommodation be like?? Luckily I will have my MEC silk sleep sac to give me some comfort while I sleep.

I will return to Kampala next Thursday night. The Friday is a holiday and I will head to Fort Portal, on the Western Border of Uganda near DRC for a weekend with friends. According to what I have read there is some great hiking and swimming is bilharzia free water.

I will try to blog remotely to keep you posted on my progress, but if I am unable to, Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Also a big congrats to Em who managed to get all of her Ontario med school applications inJ